I have been out of touch with Mid-Continent for a while, and I just heard some disturbing news. Apparently they need money so badly that they are going to auction off a bunch of steam locomotives and rolling stock. Does anyone have any more information about their situation?

Boyd, what is your source for this information?

A co-worker who has connections to MTM told me about it, and that MTM is hoping to pick up some equipment from the auction.

just found this:

http://www.hameleauctions.com/auction/mid-continent-railway-is-preparing-for-steam

Guess I answered my own question... (With help from "The Fireman"'s post as a lead to the above link).

Glad the situation is not bad like I was told!

It is very appropriate for a museum to deassecion and dispose of excess and surplus objects...

While good museum practice generally calls for a process to find a new better museum home first, you are free to dispose of them for money... good practice calls for the resulting funds to be used to support the collection... Auctioning the artifacts eliminates any concerns that they are being transferred to connected private collectors.

At first glance this looks like a positive process and an appropriate house cleaning...

Randy

What's the little Lima going to bring?

This auction is a general house cleaning aimed at improving the focus of Mid-Continent on its core mission statement.

An Auction Committee was established by the Board of Directors in June of 2014 and has worked since then alongside the Collection Committee to go through and determine items appropriate for deaccession and auction. I'm told the auction list found on the two auctioneer websites are still subject to adjustments as the auction date grows closer.

Putting on an auction like this is something that has been discussed for years. The railyard is stuffed to the brim, causing what should be simple switching moves to often turn into lengthy ordeals due to lack of available track space. The small item collection has the same problem with inadequate storage space for all the items. While no one likes letting things go, this auction is needed and I feel Mid-Continent will be better for it.

-- Jeffrey Lentz, MCRM Publications Volunteer

The most interesting aspect of this auction is that all equipment will have to leave by road..... In terms of the decapod and wreck crane that will make for an exceptionally expensive extraction. It can be done, as anything can but it will not be a simple thing.

Thoughts?

Sikorsky Skycranes.

The Lima kit would be an easier move, obviously........but how far away would a rail connection be for a flatcar move?

BTW, anybody have any specs on the tires? I need a few for the prairie.

Dave

Dave,

The distance is not great but there is a "country" two lane road bridge with a fairly light limit between the museum and rail.
The mogul is beyond shot to beyond, beyond, beyond.... makes Maud at southeastern look like it's class one ready. Were it not the oldest Lima Locomotive and Machine Company rod engine in existence (as I have been told, Dave Conrad, paging Dr. Conrad) I would nominate it for scrapping.

The tires are too big for your prairie, don't remember the size but to big.

Cheers

Well, I have been wishing that someone else could get their hands on the 2-10-0 for years. My son when he was 8 years old was talking about, "Dad, that old locomotive back in the corner, it sure looks like they don't want it anymore!" I would love it to see it go to Strasburg. It is almost a twin to their locomotive. As for moving it, I would think that pulling the boiler off the frame, (not as difficult on this locomotive if you look it over.), and haul it out in parts. The cab is a disaster, but much of the big items are not as bad as they look. Who knows, but I would hate to see some of this stuff sell for scrap. I fear that the crane and other items may just sell for scrap prices. They also have a couple of 0-4-0's, (one tank, one tender) that most certainly should be on the sale block. The Gramblings were reportedly interested in one of them some years ago when the Flag Coal 75 visited the museum. It is a near twin to the 75 and a good size for that type of operator.

Is there not a danger in historic pieces being lost forever without safeguards being put in place? If the Decapod can only leave by road, then the price of removal may take it so high that preservationists may not bid, opeing a door for a scrapper to come in and buy it. Could we all really live with ourselves if within a couple of months a 2-10-0 is scrapped, and done so under the approving eye of a railroad museum?

Steam locomotives and other irreplaceable pieces of equipment are not the same as a GMC truck or a Grade-All. They require special protections. Even if the equipment no longer fits into their collection guidelines, that does not mean that the artifact should become endangered again. People who are now dead and gone placed their faith in Mid-Continent to preserve this equipment. They did not do so just to have it sold for scrap in 2014.

If preservation of railroad history is any of their concern, then working a private deal in which the future of the locomotive is assured would be a more honorable way to go than just putting it out there for the wolves.

Hi Jason:
Yes indeed, Lima c/n 1027 is the oldest Lima rod locomotive in existence.
And yes, it is totally dismantled and in poor condition, but in my opinion, restorable if all the major components are included...
J.David

I see one of the items listed for sale is C&NW 1385's tender. Does this engine somehow have two tenders? I'm confused.